ST. PAUL, Minn. -- Nikki Nightengale (JR, Bloomington, Minn./Jefferson HS) scored for Augsburg University midway through the second period, but it wasn't enough, as Hamline University scored four goals in the second period and claimed a 6-1 win in a Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference women's hockey postseason playoff semifinal game on Saturday afternoon.

THE BASICS
FINAL SCORE: Hamline 6, Augsburg 1
LOCATION: TRIA Rink, St. Paul, Minn.
RECORDS: Augsburg 14-7-5 overall, Hamline 21-2-3 overall

HOW IT HAPPENED
• After a scoreless first period, Hamline scored four goals in the opening 9:22 of the second period to take command of the game, then added two goals in the final eight minutes of the third period for the 6-1 victory. Hamline outshot Augsburg by a 30-21 margin in the game.
• Nightengale scored her team-best 13th goal of the season for the Auggies at the 10:11 mark of the second period, assisted by Kendra Robinson (FY, Stevens Point, Wis./Pacelli HS) and Valerie Whichello (SR, Woodbury, Minn./East Ridge HS).
• Nightengale, McKenna Ellena (SO, Wales, Wis./Kettle Moraine HS), Ellie Tabaka (JR, Maplewood, Minn./Tartan HS) and Mackenzie Molnar (JR, Inver Grove Heights, Minn./Cretin-Derham Hall HS) had three shots on-goal each for the Auggies.
• Annie Juergens (JR, Lino Lakes, Minn./Centennial HS) had 24 saves in goal for Augsburg.

BEYOND THE BOXSCORE
• Augsburg reached the MIAC postseason playoffs for the fourth year in a row and eighth time since the conference playoffs began in the 1999-2000 school year. Augsburg's four straight MIAC playoff appearances are the most consecutive in program history.
• It's also the fourth year in a row that Augsburg has recorded 13 or more overall victories.
• Nightengale's 13 goals are tied for fifth-most among MIAC players in overall statistics, while she leads the MIAC in goals by defenders. Her 21 points (13 goals, eight assists) are tied for the most by conference defenders and are tied for 10th-most among all MIAC players. 

FOR THE FOES
• Leah Schwartzman claimed a hat trick with a three-goal effort, with a goal in the second period and the final two goals of the game in the third period. Bre Simon, Jordan Hansen and Madison Kolbow scored the other Piper goals.
• Jaela O'Brien had 20 saves in goal for Hamline.
• Hamline, the No. 2 seed in the five-team MIAC playoffs, is ranked No. 4 in the latest Division III national rankings by both USCHO.com and D3hockey.com.